Unfinished Dialogue: Relations between Russia and the West as they Seemed to O. Spengler in the Early Twentieth Century

(To the centenary of the publication of O. Spengler «The decline of Europe»)

Abstract

At the beginning of the XXI century, the problem of Russia’s cultural identity continues to be as relevant as it was a century ago. Every time the question of the fate of Russia began to be discussed, the relations between Russia and the West came to the attention of the participants. Th at has an explanation. Aft er all, aft er the reforms of Peter the great, the West began to actively infl uence changes in the cultural identity of the Russians. Only here was it a decisive infl uence. Already in the XIX century, such an impact began to encounter resistance. Much evidence suggests that since that time in Russian culture began to intensify much more ancient Byzantine and even Eastern core. Th is circumstance allowed even to assert that the doctrine of thinkers — emigrants, known as “Eurasians”, which arose in the West, more precisely expresses the essence of Russian culture. Th is article attempts to see the processes of sharp changes in the cultural identity of Russians and the participation of the West and the East in these processes through the eyes of one of the most famous thinkers of Germany — O. Spengler. Th e fact that about. Spengler constantly refl ected on Russia and its historical destiny, but did not come to a fi nal opinion, testifi es to many things. It is impossible not to draw attention to the legacy of Spengler and what is now becoming a reality, namely, the implementation of the Eurasian project.